Method of and apparatus for treating wood with paraffin.



PATENTED JULY 16, 1907.

. J. BINKS.' METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOD WITH PARAFFIN.

APPLIOATIOH FILED DEG-13, 1905.

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOD WITH P-ARAPFIN.

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No. 860,079. ,PATENTED JULY-16, 1907.

K J. BINKS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING woou WITH PARAFPIN.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO.13.1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BINKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING- WOOD WITH PARAFFIN.

v Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16,1907.

A li ation filed December 13, 1905. Serial No. 291,629.

is a specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for coating woodsurfaces with paraffin; and has for its object to provide simple andefficient means of protecting such surfaces from the action of corrosiveliquids.

The invention is particularly applicable to coating the interiorsurfaces ofwooden vessels, as, for example, the wooden casks orcontainers used for storing beer during certain operations in the courseof its manufacture. These casks, as usually employed, are made of woodenstaves, which, if not protected from the action of the liquid contentsof the casks, rapidly deteriorate and impart an undesirable color andflavor to the beer. The method of protecting the interior surfaces ofthese casks has heretofore been to coat them with varnish, but thismethod has been objectionable not only because of the great cost ofvarnishing material, but also because such coating does not last for anygreat length of time, and before it can be renewed all of the oldcoating must be removed by scraping. This is a tedious and expensiveoperation, occupying much time, which, together with the time requiredfor the new coating of varnish to, thoroughly dry, requires each cask tobe out of service for a considerable period during each year. i

The invention contemplates coating the interior surfaces of such casksby spraying melted paraffin upon them; and consists in the method andapparatus to, be hereinafter described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a central verticallongitudinal sectional view of a structure showing the preferred form ofapparatus involved in the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectionon the line 22 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 show in detail a funnel and aheating appliance, respectively, employed in the apparatus: Fig. 5 is afront elevation of the structure; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing inelevation the reverse side of a reservoir partition shown in Fig. 2;Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section of a spraying nozzle and itscontrolling valve, these devices being parts of the apparatus in itspreferred form; Fig. 8 shows a detail of the spraying nozzle drawn inperspective; and Figs. 9 and 10 are a longitudinal section and anelevation, respectively, of a form of head for the spraying nozzle.

In breweries in which the invention will be employed, the casks orcontainers for storing beer are of enormous size and are usuallyarranged in long rows of the truck. shelf may be of any convenient form,preferably, howwithin a large room, leaving but a narrow aisle betweenadjacent rows for the purpose of obtaining access to the several casks,and each cask hasnear its base a manhole, opening into the aisle throughwhich, when the cask is empty, the operator may enter its interior. Inorder, therefore, that the invention may be applicable for use in placesof this kind, theapparatus by means of which it is practiced must becapable of being moved about in the aisles between the rows of casks,and to this end this apparatus takes the form of a portable truck andcomprises a reservoir 10, inclosed within a jacket I or casing 11, ofsomewhat greater dimensions and mounted upon front and rear carryingwheels 12 and 13, a draft handle 14 being attached, in any convenientmanner, to the forward end of the truck. The jacket 11 is preferablycylindrical in form and horizontally disposed, as shown one of its ends,as 15, is permanently closed, and an openable cover 16 is provided forthe opposite end.

At the top of the casing orjacket there is a-longitudinal opening 17extending for. substantially its entire length, the side margins of thisopening being upturned to form ways 18, 18, most clearly shown in Fig.2. The reservoir 10 is supported within the casing 11, preferably insuch a way that the bottom of the reservoir is raised a considerabledistance above the floor of the casing, and in the device, asillustrated, this is accomplished by means of suitable flanges 19, 19,formed on the body of the reservoir and bearing upon the ways 18, 18, ofthe casing. The cover 16 forthe forward end of the casing is preferablyidentical with the end wall of the reservoir, and the latter maytherefore be drawn bodily out of the end of the casing, the flanges 19,19, sliding on the ways 18, 18.

At the base of the casing there is provided an elongated opening 20 forthe application of heat to the bottom of the reservoir 10, and in viewof the fact that the dimensions of the reservoir are less than those ofthe casing, an interspace 21 is provided which permits access of heatedair entering through the opening 20, to the side and end walls of thereservoir. Openings 22, 22 are also provided in the wall of the casingat either side of the opening 17 for the escape of this heated air, sothat a circulation of air through the interspace 21 may be maintained.

A shelf 23 is supported beneath the opening 20 for carrying a heatingappliance. As shown, flanges 24 rise from the shelf and slidably engagethe margins 25 of the opening 20 for supporting the forward end of theshelf, its rear end being supported by means of an axle 26, whichconnects the rear carrying wheels 13 The heating appliance carried bythe ever, a plurality of gasolene burners 2'7 are employed and aresupplied with fuel in the customary manner from a storage tank 28,mounted on a portion 2?, of

the shelf which projects beyond the rear of the casing 11. It will bereadily observed that the shelf 23 may be drawn backwardly from beneaththe casing 11 to permit of an inspection of the burners 27 the flanges24, for this purpose, sliding upon the margins 25 of the opening 20.Normally, however, this movement of the shelf is prevented by means of acatch 29 secured to the rear wall 15 of the casing and engaging themargins of a suitable aperture formed in a bracket 30 rising from theshelf.

The interior of the reservoir 10 is divided into compartments 31, 32, bymeans of a vertically disposed partition wall 33, having in its lowerportion an opening 34 normally crossed by a screen 35, and in order thatthe screen may be removed for the purpose of cleaning it is mounted in asuitable frame 36, slidable in ways 37, formed on the partitionwall, andis provided with a handle 38 extending to the top of the reservoir, sothat it may be easily reached by the attendant. A filling opening 39 isprovided at the top of the reservoir and communicates with the interiorof the compartment 31. It is preferably fitted with a funnel 40, whichmost conveniently takes the form shown in detail in Fig. 3. Anadditional opening 41, normally closed by a suitable cover, is providedat the top of the reservoir to permit access to the interior of thecompartment 32, and a thermometer 43 extends into the chamber of thiscompartment, preferably through a small opening 42 provided for thepurpose.

A force pump 44 is employed for discharging the contents of thereservoir and, as shown, extends into the compartment 32, and is rigidlyattached to the reservoir by means of a bushing 45 permanently securedto the reservoir wall at its top and preferably near its forward end.'The pump barrel 46 extends from the bushing 45 into the chamber of thecompartment and is provided with the usual foot valve 47 and a stem 48leading from the valve to substantially the bottom of the chamber. Thecompression chamber 49 of the pump is mounted on the bushing 45, abovethe reservoir, and the usual pump plunger 50 reciprocates within thepump barrel 46, being in this case connected by a rod 51 extending upthrough the compression chamber 49 and a stufling box 52 formed in itsupper wall, to the pump lever 53, the fulcrum 54 of which isoscillatably connected to the front wall 16 of the reservoir by means ofa bail 55. The discharge of the pump is preferably through a flexibletube 56, attached to the compression chamber 49 preferably at a threadedaperture 57, formed in the wall of the bushing 45, and to which a nozzle58, which will usually be of a peculiar construction, as will behereinafter more fully described, is applied.

The discharge from the nozzle is controlled by means of a valvemechanism 59, such, for example, as that employed for controlling thedischarge from the nozzles of machines for spraying whitewash and paintsand shown in detail in Fig. 7. This valve mechanism is provided with ashank 60, preferably of considerable length to form a convenient gripfor the hand of the operator, and the valve 61, which is faced with alayer of yielding material 62, as the ordinary indurated fiber ofcommerce, is normally closed by means of a spring 63. The valve plunger64 extends through a stuffing box 65, formed in the wall of the valvecasing,

and may be shifted to open the valve in opposition to the spring 63 by alever 66, pivoted to the valve casing at 67 and having an elongatedhandle so as to be conveniently reached by the hand of the attendantupon the grip 60.

The nozzle 58, in its preferred form, is connected to the valvemechanism 59 by means of a nipple 68, and as shown entirely closes thedischarge opening of the nipple except for a small slotted opening 71formed by the intersection of a tapering recess 69 in the face of thenozzle, and a saw-cut 70 at the back of the nozzle. The nozzle is soformed as to subdivide the liquid into a fine spray. In order to preventthe particles of the spray from cooling before reaching the surfacebeing treated under the influence of the entrained air, the nozzle isinclosed within a hood, preferably funnelshaped, as shown at 79. Theefiiciency of this hood may be increased by conforming its end generallyto the surface being treated, thereby permitting it to bebroughtdirectly into contact with such surface to exclude the air almostentirely.

Usually a filtering screen 72, inclosed within a chambered receptacle73, will be interposed between the discharge opening 57 of the pump andthe flexible tube 56. This device is of ordinary construction, as

used for filtering flowing liquids, and as shown is provided with adrain opening 74, at the inner side of the screen 72, through which anymaterial which does not pass the screen may be discharged. The contentsof the reservoir 10 may be drawn off, when desired, through a faucet 75,applied to the front wall 16, near the bottom of the reservoir.

As shown, the opening 17 at the top of the casing 11 extends beyond therear end of the reservoir 10 a sufficient distance to permit of theescape of heated air from the interspace 21, as at Fig. 1. The'parts areso proportioned that air passing out at this point comes in contact withan inclined wall 76 of the funnel 40, so as to heat its contents and, tocause the heated air to come in contact with a greater area of thefunnel wall 76, a flue or doubl ewall 77 is provided at the back of thefunnel, the outer wall 78 of the flue fitting over the wall of thecasing 11.

The improved method of treating wood with paraffin consists, broadly, inspraying melted paraflin upon the surface of the wood. This method maybe performed in any way desired, but most conveniently by using theimproved apparatus just described, in the following manner :Immediatelyafter lighting the burners 27 of the heating appliance carried by theshelf 23, blocks of solid parafiin will be thrown into the funnel 40,those being too large to fall at once from the funnel into the chamber32 of the reservoir being melted down by contact with the heated wall76. As the material within the chamber 32 is melted by the heat from theburners 27, it will pass through the screen 35 to the compartment 33,which will gradually become filled with melted paraffin, and when itscontents have become heated to the desired temperature, as noted uponthe thermometer 43, the pump 44 may be employed for discharging themelted paraffin through the hose and nozzle 56 and 53, respectively,upon the wood to be treated. If, however, the method and apparatus areto be employed for coating the interior surface of the wooden casks ofbreweries, the apparatuswill be drawn, by means of the draft handle 14,

through the aisles between the rows of casks to that one to be treated.An attendant will then enter the cask with the flexible tube 56, thepump 44 being operated by a second attendant who remains outside of thecask. By opening the valve mechanism 59 and judiciously directing thenozzle 58, an even coating of paraflin may be deposited over the entireinner surface of the cask, the supply of material within the reservoirof the apparatus being replenished from time to time by the addition ofsolid paraflin to the funnel 40. The wood to be treated should beheated, by any suitable means, preparatory to the application of thespray, in order to increase its porosity. The paraffin should be heatedquite hot, I have found a temperature of upwards of 400 degreesFahrenheit desirable, and the quantity applied is preferably only suchas will be instantly taken up by the pores of the wood, so that no filmor coating remains on the surface; thereby preventing waste of material.Wood thus treated remains impervious to the beer or other corrosiveliquids for a long period, longer than it is necessary to leave thebeerin the tanks for its proper treatment. Hence there is no contaminationof the liquid by the wood, or by the material used in treating thelatter.

While I have referred particularly to the use of the apparatus andmethod in connection with casks employed in breweries, the invention isapplicable as well to any situation where it is desired to render aporous material impervious to water and protect it from corrosive actionby filling its pores with such a material as paraffin.

I claim as my invention 1. In an apparatus of the kind described, incombination, a jacket, a heating appliance at the base of the jacket,ways formed on the jacket, a reservoir housed within the jacket andsupported by the ways, a pump delivering from the reservoir, and a hoseand nozzle attached to the discharge opening of the pump.

2. In an apparatus of the kind described, in combination, a horizontallydisposedcylindrical casing mounted on wheels and having an openable end,a heating appliance at the base of the casing, a longitudinal opening atthe top of the casing, a reservoir fitting within the casing and havingflanges for slidably engaging the margins of the opening, and a pumpdelivering from the reservoir.

3. In an apparatus of the kind described, in combina tion, a casingmounted on wheels and having an openable end, a longitudinal opening atthe base of the casing, a longitudinal opening at the top of the casing,a reservoir fitting within the casing and having flanges for slidablyengaging the margins of the openings at the top of the casing, a pumpdelivering from the reservoir, a shelf below the casing and havingflanges for slidably engaging the margins of the opening at the base ofthe casing, and a heating appliance carried by the shelf.

4. In an apparatus of the kind described, in combination, a casingmounted on wheels, an opening at the top of the casing and a heatingappliance at the base of the casing, a reservoir within the casing andhaving a filling opening registering with the opening of the casing, afunnel fitting into the filling opening of the reservoir and having adouble wall, the outer wall of the funnel bearing on a margin of theopening of the casing.

5. In combination, a reservoir, a funnel discharging into the reservoir,a jacket inclosing and spaced apart from the reservoir, a jacketinclosing and spaced apart from the funnel, and a burner discharging theproducts of its combustion into such casings.

6. The herein described method of treating wood surfaces, consisting infirst heating the wood and then applying thereto paraflin at atemperature above that at which it fuses.

7. In an apparatus for spraying a curved surface with heated liquid, thecombination with a spraying nozzle, of a hood surrounding the nozzle,the end of the hood con forming in shape to the surface to be treated.

8. The herein described method of treating wood surfaces, consisting infirst heating the wood, and then depositing melted parafiin on itssurface in the form of a spray.

D. In an apparatus for spraying a curved surface with a heated liquid,the combination with a flexible conductor, of a spraying nozzle thereforand a hood surrounding the nozzle, the end of the hood conforming inshape to the surface to be treated.

JOSEPH BINKS.

Witnesses:

Crmnnns B. GILLSON, LOUIS K. GILLsoN.

